Apparatus for cleaning the ends of containers



Sept. 15, 1942. w. l. GLADFr-:LTER 2,295,575

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE ENDS 0F CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 11j 1959'. s'sheets-sneet-1 Eff/ @y @J7/AM SePfl5, 1942 w. l. GLADFELTER 2,295,575

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE ENDS.OF CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 1l, 1939 l3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l l LVW/rm 1l l, A

Q5 5 Mzezzmfgzzeg www Sept. 15, 1942.v v w. GLADFELTER 2,295,575

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE ENDS OF'CONTAINERS FledDec. 11, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 aww Patented Sept. 15, 1942 APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE ENDS OF CONTAINERS Wiltie I. Gladfelter, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc., Baltimore, Md., a corporation of New York Application December 11, 1939, Serial No. 308,722

22 Claims.

In the manufacture of various Vtypes of containers, such as those adapted to be lled'wth beer and closed by a crown closure, the containers are lined with suitable coating materials, such as moulten wax compositions. After a suitable coating has been applied, the excess coating material is allowed to drain from the containers while the latter are held in inverted, neck-down position. During drainage, some of the coating obviating the possibility of any downward ilo'w of lining material.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide an elongated can wiping cloth or the like in the form of an endless apron or elongated sheet, and to provide means for guiding the sheet into contact with the ends of the containersl and to substantially continuously feed the sheetso as to present a Vcontinually changing, substantially material often ows out onto the outer surface lo fresh surface to the containers. y Y of the neck end of the container adjacent the In order to effect an improved wiping action, pouring opening and collects thereon in the form the containers are preferably rotated about ytheir of a lm or drop, or both. After the can is relongitudinal axes as they are moved along with verted to the upright, neck-up position, there is the neck ends in contact with the apronancl, a likelihood that the excess lining material, so in actual practice, it has been found satisfaccollected upon the end surface of the neck iintory to roll the containers along a` predeterish portion of the container, will ow downwardmined path with their axes disposed substanly by gravity and soil the side wall of the neck, tially horizontal and to -feed the wiping cloth'suband even disfigure a portion of the conical end stantially vertically. member between the side wall and the neck zo In the accompanying drawings certain preiinish of the container. Moreover, a portion of fered forms of apparatus are disclosed, but it the excess wax will remain on the sealing surface must be understood that the invention is not limor end wall of the neck in the form of a relaited tov the specific details thereof, Asince many tively thick film or ridge. Although this matemodifications will readily occur to one skilled rial usually does not adversely affect the seal- 25 in the art. ing of the container with a crown closure, many In the drawings: y n brewers and consumers have found it objection- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic planxview of a conable because of the unattractive, sloppy appearvveyor, transfer device and wax drop removing ance thereby imparted to the container. means.

The primary object of the present invention is Figure 2 isa vertical section taken on line to remove this excess wax from the sealing sur- 2 2 of Figure l. l n y face of the neck finish, prior to reverting the Fgure iS a Side eleVatiOn Gf a Can end Wipcontainer to upright position, thereby preventing apparatus. f ing the material from flowing down onto the Figure 4 Vis a vertical section taken on line side wall of the neck or onto any other portion 5 5 of Figure 3. y of the exterior surface of the container. w Figure 51s an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional It is a further object of the invention to pro- View, Showing a detail 0f Fgurel, and vide means for removing the previously men- Figures 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views of tioned drop of the lining .material before the modifications. Y container is brought to a position which would Referring to Figure 1, containers vIEi carriedV in permit the drop to run downwardly along the pockets II on a chain I2 `in inverted. neck-.down neck, thereby preventing disgurationf of the POSiiJiOn COine flOin a draining Chamber I3 Wnele conical end member of the container. the excess lining material is drained. The cans It is a further object of the invention to proare transferred to holders I4 lassociated with a Vide, in addition t0 the drop removing means, 45 transfer Conveyor Chain i5, the holclll'igblackets means for wiping clean the end sealing surface I4 being initially in the Vertical position to reand side wall of the neck iinish of containers. ceive the cans in inverted neck-downposition. The invention aims to provide simple means for Each holder carries a roller I6, positioned to performing this function in a highly eicient, engage an elevating camtrack I1 whichswings rapid manner, so that the entire production of a the holders from the initial vertical position upcontainer manufacturing line can be accommowardly to a horizontal position, as the chain` I5 dated as fast as the containers are made. brings the `holders around the rear end sprocket i It is a further object of the invention to per- I8. Thus, the containers swing upwardly from form this neck finish wiping operation before the the inverted position to la horizontal position, cans are brought to upright position, thereby Where they roll olf on a conveyor chute 2i] to be subsequently treated. During the upward swinging movement of the containers I and while traveling in an inclined position between the vertical and the horizontal, the excess wax on the neck nish 2| tends to collect at the lowermost point on its circumference. A heated surface 22, preferably in the form of a steam chest, is positioned adjacent the path of movement of the neck ends of the containers and is so arranged as to almost, but preferably not quite, contact the locking bead of the container. The steam chest heats the drop of wax to relatively high fluidity and removes the same from the container by capillary attraction. If desired, the container neck may actually contact the surface 22, to wipe off the drop of lining material. The liquid material then flows over the surface 22 and is collected in a trough 23 formed at the lower, outer edge thereof. The wax or other liquid lining material so collected obviously may be conducted to a suitable storage vessel and reused. The shape of the steam chest is such that its upper surface 22 is substantially tangential to the lowermost points on the neck finish ends of the containers and closely follows the line of movement thereof for a substantial distance, so that the excess wax may be effectively removed.

The containers, thus brought to horizontal position, roll down the conveyor 26 under the influence of gravity. During this rolling movement, there is no tendency for excess wax to flow along the neck of the container to this` conical end member 25, since the can has not yet been brought to upright position. The apparatus is particularly designed to prevent uprighting of the containers prior to final wiping of all wax from the ends thereof.

Horizontally disposed track members 26 are carried by transverse brackets 21 supported by a machine frame comprising vertical legs 28, 29, 30, 3|. The tracks, at their rear ends, receive the cans from the chute 20 in position to be rolled through the wiping machine in horizontal position by a pair of endless belts 32, 33, pressed downwardly into engagement with the' seamed end flanges of the cans by spring lingers 34, 35

carried by longitudinally extending bars 36, 31,'

supported, in turn, by cross-arms 38 secured to the ends of hangers 39 carried by upper crossmembers 40, supported, in turn, by the upper ends of the vertical legs 28, etc. The belts 32, 33 are trained about pulleys 4|, journalled about a fixed axis at the rear end of the machine, and about longitudinally adjustable, tension driving pulleys 42 at the forward, discharged end of the machine, the pulleys being journalled upon suitable shafts carried by the main frame in any appropriate manner. Rotation is imparted to the driving pulleys 42 by a belt or chain 43, trained about a pulley or sprocket 44, driven by a motor 45 having a right angle, single reduction, geared head 46. The belts 32, 33 thus pick up cans at the entrance end of the machine and, by moving substantially twice as fast as the cans, roll them through the machine to the discharge chute 49.

During their movement along the tracks 26, the can ends are wiped by an elongated fabric sheet or apron (Figs. 4 and 5). The sheet may be in the form of an elongated endless apron, trained upon an upper roll 5|, supported by appropriate hangers 52 from the ceiling or any suitable fixed or adjustable member, not shown. The apron extends downwardly past a guide bar 53, hereinafter described in` detail, and thence between a driving roll 54 and a rubber covered squeeze roll 55. Finally, the apron passes around a lower tension roll 56 and then returns upwardly in substantially a straight line to the upper guide roll 5|. The drive roll 54 is preferably driven by a chain or belt 51, trained about a sprocket 56 associated with a speed reducer 59, the latter being driven, in turn, by a belt or chain 6|] connected to a sprocket 6| on the shaft of the gear head 46. By means of the speed reducer, sprockets and chains, the driving roll 54 is slowly rotated. to impart a continuous vertical downward feed to the apron 55. Obviously, an intermittent apron feed may be substituted, if desired. As indicated in Figure 4, the weight of the lower tension roll 55 may be supported by the apron itself and the shaft for the roll may be disposed in vertical ways 63 formed adjacent the supporting legs 65 for the horizontal frame shoulders 66 which supports the rolls 54, 55. The latter roll is preferably journalled in appropriate bearings 61 secured t0 the vertical frame members 28, 30, while the squeeze roll 55 is journalled in open-sided bearing blocks 68, carried by levers 69 pivoted to frame members 66. The upper ends of the levers 69 are slotted at 15 to receive adjustably mounted rods 15, projecting outwardly through apertures in the side faces of the frame members 28, 30 and carrying cam levers 1| at their outer ends, the latter having nose portions 12 positioned to engage the squeeze roll supporting levers 69, to urge the same inwardly when the handle portions thereof are depressed. The pressure of the roll 55 against the driving roll 54 can be determined by adjusting the nuts 13 on the threaded ends of the rods 10. Springs 14 surrounding the rods 10 and positioned between a fixed collar on the rods and the frame members 29 and 3|) maintain the rods in outwardly projected position, even when the load on the rods is relieved. Moreover, if it is desired to remove the roll 68, for instance for replacement of an apron, the springs permit the rods l0 and the parts associated therewith to be swung upwardly through the slots 15 clear of the roll supporting levers 6 9, whereupon the latter may be swung outwardly and the roll removed from open-sided bearings The wiping bar 53 preferably comprises an elongated strip of wood, metal, or any suitable material having a special cross-sectional shape. As shown in Figure 5, the bar has a vertical surface 11 disposed opposite the end wall or sealing surface 'i8 of the container neck nish 2|. Further, the bar has a laterally projecting flange 19 provided with a downwardly projecting bead defining a groove 8|. rIhe groove 8| and the bead 19 substantially mate, respectively, with the locking shoulder 2| of the container and the locking groove in the neck finish therebelow. The wiping apron 5S is disposed between these surfaces of the bar 53 and the -corresponding surfaces of the containers with the result that, as the containers are rolled along the tracks 26, the end faces and side walls of their necks are effectively wiped by contact with the slowly moving apron 50. The bar 53 may be secured to a secondary bar 82 by means of a spacer strip 83 or the like, thereby providing a downwardly facing channel 84 which may receive supporting tongues 85, projecting forwardly and rearwardly from the main frame members 28, 36. Although this construction is preferred, since it permits ready removal of the bar 53, any equivalent supporting means may be employed.

Asindieated in Figure 6,5 the lo-wertension roll Zmay bedisposed -within a tanklS `containinga cleaning solution, .for instance any suitable solvent for vthe wax or other lining composition. Obviously, means for circulating the solvent may loe-employed as well as scrubbers or beaters arranged to actively scrub or agitate the material being cleaned. -In accordance with this modification, -the apron G may be used over and over again, since the lining material is continuously removed therefrom and a fresh, clean sheet is continuously presented to the cans.

squeezing rolls or any other drying means may be -empioyed to remove excess solvent from the apron before or after itemerges from the tank.

In accordance with the Inodication shown in Figure 7, a continuous web of sheet material is unwound from a roll 9| and, after passing through the driving -and squeeze rolls 5d, 55, the material is collected in a pile 92 on the floor, or in an appropriate receptacle. lThe roll 9! may conveniently be supported from bearings 93 carried by the vertical legs 65 of the auxiliary frame which supports the driving and squeeze rolls.

The operation of the presen-t apparatus will be readily understood from the foregoing description. Wax lined cans in inverted, neck-down position are transferred from the drain conveyor to the brackets ifi of the transfer conveyor i5. As the transfer conveyor swings them upwardly to the horizontal position, the neck ends thereof come in close proximity to the surface 22, where the drop of wax or other lining material forming at the lowermost point on the bead il, is removed by capillary attraction, or by an actual wiping operation, The caps are then transferred to the discharge chute 2d, where they roll into the wiping apparatus, under the belts 32, 33 and upon the tracks 26. Here the cans are positively rolled along a predetermined path and their neck finish ends are presented to the apron 59 trained about the guide bar 53. Preferably, the apron is' continuously fed past the moving cans, but, if desired, it may be given relatively quick, step-by-step intermittent movements alternating with suitable periods of rest.

It should be noted that the tracks 25, at the entrance end, are inclined, but that the bar 53 is substantially straight. Therefore, the rolling cans gradually move upwardly, so that their ends approach the laterally projecting flange 'I9 and the apron disposed therebelow. During their passage through the machine, the can ends are forcibly urged against the apron 5i] and have all wax wiped therefrom. The cans are prevented from moving rearwardly away from the apron under the influence of the force applied to their ends by the provision of an abutment strip 95 engaging their bottom surfaces, as shown in Figure 5.

rI'he belts 32, 33 carry the cans outwardly to the downwardly inclined chute AS, where they roll by gravity to a packing apparatus or the like.

Although the apparatus of the present-invention is particularly adapted for use with containers lined with wax coating compositions, it must be understood that it is not limited to such materials, but covers any liquid lining compositions which present the problems discussed above. Obviously, if a thermoplastic lining material is not used, it is unnecessary to heat the drop removing surface 22.

In the claims, the term non-upright is intended to cover any position of a container, ex-

cept a substantially vertical, neck-up position. As used, the term is specifically intended to cover a vertical, neck-down position.

Although the invention has been described with considerable particularity in this specification and preferred embodiments have been shown in the accompanying drawings, it must be understood that the invention is not limited to these details, but covers all modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims or their equivalents.

I claim:

1. An apparatus-for cleaning the end surfaces of elongated articles of manufacture comprising a conveyor for the articles, means for supporting the article in non-upright position as they are moved along the conveyor, cleaning means adjacent the path of movement of the articles having a surface positioned to contact the end surfaces of the articles, and means for shifting the cleaning means to present substantially fresh surfaces to `successive articles.

2. A cleaning apparatus comprising a conveyor along which the articles to be cleaned are moved and rotated, a cleaning apron extending along the conveyor and having a portion positioned opposite to and adapted to be contacted by one end of each of the articles, and means for shifting the apron to present substantially fresh portions thereof to successive articles.

3. An apparatus for wiping the ends of containers comprising means for rolling the containers along a predetermined path, a wiping apron having a portion along one side of said path in position to be engaged by the ends of the containers as they roll therealong, and means for shifting the position of the apron to present substantially fresh surfaces to successive articles.

4. An apparatus for wiping the neck finish ends of containers comprising means for moving the containers along a predetermined path in a direction transverse to their longitudinal axes, a cleaning apron, means for guiding a portion of the apron along one side of said path opposite to and in position to be engaged by the neck finish ends of the containers as they move therealong, and means for shifting the apron in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the containers to present substantially fresh surfaces vto successive containers.

5. An apparatus for wiping the ends of containers comprising means for rolling the containers along a predetermined path while disposed substantially horizontally, a wiping apron having a vertically disposed portion along one side of said path in position to be engaged by the ends of the containers as they roll therealong, and means for vertically moving the apron to present substantially fresh portions thereof to the ends of successive containers.

6. An apparatus for wiping the neck finish ends of containers comprising means for rolling the containers along a predetermined path in substantially horizontal position, a cleaning apron disposed along said path of movement and having a substantially horizontal portion positioned to engage the side walls of .the neck finish ends of the containers as they roll therealong, and means for feeding the apron in a direction transverse to the line of movement of the containers to present substantially fresh surfaces of the apron to successive containers.

7. An apparatus for wiping the neck finish ends of containers comprising means for moving the containers along a predetermined path and for simultaneously rotating the same about their longitudinal axes, a cleaning apron adjacent said path, guiding means for the apron shaped to cause the apron to engage the end and side walls of the neck finish ends of the containers, and means for moving the apron transver'sely of the line of movement of the containers.

8. An apparatus for wiping the neck finish ends of containers comprising means for moving the containers along a predetermined path in non-upright position, a wiping apron, guiding means for the apron comprising a surface facing the end wall of the neck and another surface disposed opposite the side wall thereof, the apron being disposed between said surfaces and said walls, and means for feeding the apron past said guiding means in contact with the containers in a direction transverse to the line of movement of the containers, thereby to present substantially clean apron surfaces to successive containers.

9. An apparatus for wiping the neck finish ends of containers, comprising means for moving the containers along a predetermined path in non-upright position and for simultaneously rotating the containers about their longitudinal axes, an elongated bar adjacent said path having a surface facing the end walls of the necks and another surface disposed opposite the side walls thereof, a wiping apron disposed between the surfaces of said bar and the end and side walls of the containers, and means for moving said apron transversely of the line of movement of the containers to present substantially clean apron surfaces to successive containers.

10. An apparatus for wiping the neck finish ends of containers, comprising means for moving the containers along a predetermined path in non-upright position and for simultaneously rotating the containers about their longitudinal axes, an elongated bar adjacent said path having a surface facing the end walls of the necks and another surface disposed opposite the side walls thereof, a wiping apron disposed between the surfaces of said bar and the end and side walls of the containers, means for tensioning the apron, thereby to maintain the same in contact with the end and side walls of the container neck, and means for moving the apron to present substantially clean surfaces to successive containers.

ll. An apparatus for wiping the neck finish ends of containers, comprising means for rolling the containers along a predetermined path in substantially horizontal position, an elongated bar adjacent said path having a vertical surface disposed opposite the end walls of the necks of the containers and a laterally projecting ange overlying the side walls of the necks of the containers, a wiping apron threaded between the neck ends of the containers and the ange and vertical wall of said bar, and means for moving the apron vertically to present substantially clean surfaces to successive containers.

12. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 characterized in that the flange of the bar' has a downwardly projecting marginal bead defining, with the vertical surface of the bar, a downwardly facing groove, and in that the groove and bead, respectively, mate substantially with the locking shoulder and locking groove of the neck finish of the container.

13. An apparatus for wiping the neck nish ends of containers, comprising means for moving the containers along a predetermined path in non-upright position and for simultaneously rotating the same about their longitudinal axes, a cleaning apron adjacent said path positioned in contact with said ends of the containers, and means for continuously moving the apron on a line transverse to the line of movement of the containers, thereby to present a continuously changing surface to successive containers.

14. An apparatus for wiping the neck finish ends of containers, comprising means for moving the containers along a predetermined path in non-upright position and for simultaneously rotating the same about their longitudinal axes, an endless wiping apron having a portion disposed in contact with said ends of the containers, means for continuously feeding the apron in a direction transverse to the line of movement of the containers, apron cleaning means, and guiding means for the apron leading the same into operative cleaning relation to the cleaning means, whereby the apron is continuously cleaned and substantially clean surfaces are continuously presented to the containers.

l5. An apparatus for wiping the neck finish ends of containers, comprising means for moving the containers along a predetermined path in non-upright position and for simultaneously rotating the same about their longitudinal axes, an elongated sheet of cleaning fabric in roll form, means for drawing the sheet from the roll, and guiding means for the sheet positioned to cause the same to move transversely past said ends of the containers in contact therewith, whereby a changing sheet surface is presented to successive containers.

16. An apparatus for wiping the neck finish ends of cylindrical containers, comprising a substantially horizontal track, belt means above the track, means for feeding cans onto the track with their longitudinal axes disposed transversely of the track and with their cylindrical side walls in contact with said belt means, means for driving the belt means, thereby rolling the cans along the track, resilient means behind the belt means, in contact therewith and urging the belt means into contact with the cylindrical side walls of the can bodies during such rolling movement, and a wiping apron disposed along one side of said track in position to wipe the neck finish ends of the cans as they are rolled therealong.

17. An apparatus for wiping the neck finish ends of cans, comprising a way upon which the cans may be rolled along a substantially horizontal path, a belt in contact with the can bodies for so rolling the cans, an apron disposed along one side of the way and positioned to engage the neck ends of the cans, tension and guiding means for the apron forcefully urging the same against said ends, and abutment means in engagement with the opposite ends of the cans to prevent movement of the cans under the influence of force applied by the apron tensioning and guiding means.

18. An apparatus for removing from the exterior surface of the neck finish ends of containers lined with a liquid coating material, any material that may have collected thereon during drainage of excess coating material from the interiors of the containers, said apparatus comprising means for moving a succession of containers along a predetermined path in a position inclined between an inverted neck-down position and a horizontal position, whereby a drop of lining material may collect substantially at the lowermost point on the neck nish end of each container, and a drop removing surface positioned adjacent the path of movement of, and in substantially tangential relation to, the lowermost points on the neck finish ends of the containers and disposed to be contacted by such drops, whereby the drops may be transferred to said surface and removed from the ends of the containers by wiping action or by capillary attraction.

19. An apparatus for removing from the eX- terior surfaces of the neck finish ends of wax lined containers, any wax that may have collected thereon during drainage of excess wax from the interiors of the containers, said apparatus comprising means for moving the containers along a predetermined path in inclined position between the vertical neck-down position and the horizontal, whereby a drop of wax may collect substantially at the lowermost point on the neck finish end of each container, and a heated wax removing surface adjacent the path of movement of, and in substantially tangential relation to, the lowermost points on the neck finish ends of the containers and disposed to be contacted by such drops, thereby to remove the same by wiping action or by capillary attraction.

20. An apparatus for removing from the exterior surfaces of the neck finish ends of containers lined with a liquid coating material, any material that may have collected thereon during drainage of excess lining material from the interiors of the containers, said apparatus comprising means for moving the containers in one direction along a predetermined path and for simultaneously swinging the containers in a direction transverse to the first-mentioned direction of movement from an inverted neck-down position to a horizontal position, whereby a drop of lining material may form substantially at the lowermost point on the neck finish end of each container, and a drop removing surface disposed along at least a portion of the path of movement of, and in substantially tangential relation to said lowermost points, and positioned to be contacted by said drops, whereby the drops are transferred to said surface by wiping action or by capillary attraction.

2l. An apparatus for removing from the exterior surfaces of the neck iinish ends of wax lined containers, any wax that may have collected thereon during drainage of excess wax from the interiors of the containers, said apparatus comprising means for moving the containers in one direction along a predetermined path and for simultaneously swinging the containers in a direction transvere to the first-mentioned direction from an inverted neck-down position to a horizontal position, whereby a drop of wax may form substantially at the lowermost point on the neck finish end of each container, and a heated drop removing surface disposed along at least a portion of the path of movement of and in substantially tangential relation to said lowermost points, and positioned to be contacted by said drops, whereby the drops are heated and are transferred to said surface by wiping action or by capillary attraction.

22. An apparatus for removing from the exterior surface of the neck finish ends of containers lined with a liquid coating material, any material that may have collected thereon during drainage of excess coating material from the interiors of the containers, said apparatus comprising means for imparting translational, nonrotatable movement to a succession of containers along a predetermined path in a position inclined between an inverted neck-down position and a horizontal position, whereby a drop of lining material may collect substantially at the lowermost point on the neck finish end of each container, a drop removing surface positioned adjacent the path of movement of and in substantially tangential relation to the lowermost points on the neck nish ends of the containers and disposed to be contacted by such drops to remove the same and thereby leave only a lm of said lining material on the neck nish ends of the containers, means for rolling the cans in horizontal position along a continuation of said path, and means for wiping said film of material therefrom during such a rolling movement.

WILTIE I. GLADFELTER. 

